Fountain pen



Nov. 13, 1956 w. TONKOWICH 2,770,221

' FOUNTAIN PEN Filed March 29, 1951 lNVENTOR WILLIAM TON KOWICHATTORNEYS Unite FOUNTAIN PEN William Tonkowich, Newark, N. J., assignorto Waterman Pen Company, Inc., a corporation of New York ApplicationMarch 29, 1951, Serial No. 218,145

Claims. (Cl. 120-50) The present invention relates to a novel andimproved fountain pen and relates more particularly to a new andimproved feed for a fountain pen.

A general object of the invention is to provide a feed for a fountainpen of improved construction having an increased ink storage capacitywhich functions to prevent the flooding of ink that is in excess of thatrequired for writing. In addition, the feed is of simple construction,is strong and is inexpensive to manufacture. Other features andadvantages of the invention will be apparent and best understood fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view taken from the top of a feed bar for a fountainpen embodying the present invention and is on a greatly enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the feed bar illustrated in Fig. 1;

.Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the feed bar shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a fountain pen feed assembly takenalong the line 4-4 of Figure 1 of the feed bar illustrated in Fig. 1 andwith the pen in writing position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4, but onan enlarged scale; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections illustrating modifications of thefeed bar illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to theembodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 through 5, there is afeed bar 20. One end of the feed bar is generally cylindrical in shapeand at the other end is bevelled laterally as indicated at 21 andupwardly as indicated at 22 to form a reduced tip.

The upper surface of the feed bar 20 has a conventional ink feed groove23 cut therein with fissures 24 at the bottom of the feed groove. Thefeed groove and the fissures start at a point behind the tip of the feedbar 20 and extend lengthwise of the feed bar beneath the flexible point25 and breather hole 26 of a nib 27 to the end of the cylindricalportion of the feed bar where the feed groove and the fissurescommunicate with an ink reservoir 28. The ink reservoir 28 may be theusual collapsible rubber sac which is located withina fountain penbarrel 29 and the mouth of the sac is attached to the inner end of afeed section 30 in the usual manner. The feed section 30 is secured inthe open end of the barrel 29 and the cylindrical end of the feed bar 20is inserted in the bore of the feed section with the heel of the penpoint 27 being held between the feed section and the feed bar inposition for writing.

Under normal conditions when the pen is in writing position, asillustrated in Fig. 4, ink is drawn by capillary attraction from the inkreservoir 28 through the fissures 24 in the feed groove 23 to theflexible point 25 of the nib 27 and air may pass through the breatherhole 7 26 and upwardly through the groove 23 into the ink reservoir 28so as to relieve any excessive back pressure built up therein.

Patented Nov. 13, 1956 From a point slightly to the rear of the tip ofthe feed bar 20 and extending to the cylindrical portion thereof, thetop of the feed bar 20 is recessed along both sides of the groove 23 soas to form laterally extending side pockets 32 on both sides of the feedbar. The body of the nib 27 extends over the side pockets 32 and thus,forms capillary passageways 38 extending longitudinally of the feed barwhen the feed bar and the nib are assembled in the bore of the feedsection. In addition, a series of transverse capillary passageways 33forming ink storage chambers are cut in side walls of the side pockets32 and in the sides of the feed bar 20. All of the transversepassageways 33 except the first one are separated from the ink feedgroove 23 by walls 34 extending lengthwise on both sides of the ink feedgroove 23. Ladders or partitions 35 and 36 extending along .the sides ofthe side pockets 32 and the sides of the feed bar, respectively,separate the transverse passage ways 33 from each other and in order toobtain an increased ink storage capacity in the feed bar 20, which has arelatively small cross-sectional area, the ladder cuts forming thetransverse passageways 33 and the side pockets 32 extend to a pointwithin the feed section 30, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The first of the transverse passageways 33 on each side of the ink feedgroove 23 communicate with the ink feed groove 23 through transversechannels 37. In this connection, it might be noted, as indicated by thedot and dash lines in Fig. 6, that the body of the nib 27 has a somewhatgreater radius than the feed bar and this difierence in curvature formsa small passageway between the nib and the feed bar at the lower orforward ends thereof and particularly in the vicinity of the breatherhole 26 through which ink from the feed groove may flow. However, thechannels 37 assure that ink from the feed groove 23 may flow into thefirst passageway 33 when there is a supply of ink in the ink feed groove23 in excess of that required for writing such as may result from anabnormal increase in the pressure in the ink reservoir 28. The lateralpassageways 38 formed by the side pockets 32 and the pen point then drawthe ink from the first transverse passageways 33 upwardly into the sidepockets 32. The ink that is thus drawn into the side pockets 32 will bedrawn into the transverse passageways 33 in the sides of the sidepockets and of the feed bar where it will be held and stored. Thisprevents the ink in the feed groove from passing out of the breatherhole 26 and flooding the pen point.

The transverse passageways 33 open at their lower ends into an enlargedopening 40 which leads into a back groove 39 extending along the bottomof the feed bar. The back groove 39 starts at the tip of the feed bar 20where it communicates with the flexible nib 25 of the pen point 27 andextends lengthwise of the feed bar to a point within the section 30. Thedepth of the back groove 39 may be equal to three quarters of thediameter of the feed bar 20 and thus, has a large ink storage capacitytherein. The back groove 39, thus, serves to draw ofi any drops ofexcess ink that may appear at the point of the nib.

The enlarged mouth or opening 40 leading into the back groove alsoextends into the feed section 30 and provides an air relief passagethrough which air from the feed section may escape when ink flows intothe passageways 33 or the parts of the back groove that are within thesection. The opening 40 may be formed'by making V-cuts 41 in the bottomof the feed bar at the top of the back groove, as indicated in Fig. 5.Figure 6 shows in section similar to Figure 5 a modified feed bar 20ahaving an ink feed groove 23a cut with fissures 24a and a back groove39a provided with enlarged opening 404, The nib is shown at 27a, andpartitions 35a and 36a correspond to partitions 35 and 36 of Figure 1.Figure 7 shows in section like Figure 6 a modified feed bar b having anink feed groove 23b cut w-ith'fi'ssures 24b and a back groove 3%provided with an enlarged opening 40b. Partitions 35b and 36b correspondto those of Figure 6 3135a and 35b. In general, except for the enlargedopenings 40, 40a and 40b all of the feed bars of Figures 1-7 are alike.The enlarged opening may also be formed by recessing the feed bar 20a atthe edges of the back groove 29, as indicated at 414 in Fig. 6, or byflattening the bottom of the feed bar 20b, as indicated at 41b in Fig.7. Under ordinary conditions, any ink in the transverse passageways 33is held there and will not enter the back grooves, but the open ends ofthe passageways permit air to be expelled from the transversepassageways 33 into the enlarged opening 40 of the back groove.

The diameter of the feed bar 20 is the same, or slightly less than, thediameter of the bore of the feed section so that when the heel of thenib 27 is forced between the feed section 30 and the feed bar 20, thecompression of the material from which the feed bar and the section aremade holds the nib in place. Thus, when the pen point and the feed barare assembled in the feed section, the top and sides of the feed bar 20are spaced from the section forming passageways 42 and 43, as shown inFigs. 4 and 5, respectively. The passageways 42 and 43 extend around theheel of the pen point 27 and connect the side pockets 32, the transversepassageways 33 and the back groove 39 with the ink feed groove 23 at apoint within the section above the end of the pen point 27. Thepassageways 42 and 43 permit ink to flow back into the ink reservoirfrom the storage spaces when the pen is in point'up position and theatmospheric pressure is greater than the pressure of the air in the inkreservoir. The compression of the heel of the pen point 27 between thefeed section and the feed bar causes the heel of the pen point toconform to the shape of the feed bar, but this condition does notprevail throughout the entire length of the pen point as mentionedpreviously.

The back groove 39, the side pockets 32 and the transverse passageways33 are so proportioned in relation to the feed groove 23 and thefissures 24 that ink will flow more readily from these external storagespaces than it will from the internal reservoir 28. Thus, a pen which isin active use will be prepared for the next tendency to flood by writingout the ink from the external storage spaces. This clears the inkcollectors of the ink stored therein so that said collectors are at alltimes ready to collect any ink that flows toward the point of the pen inexcess of that required for writing.

As a specific example of such proportions, in the feed bar 20,illustrated in Figs. 1 through 5, which has a diameter of .197 inch, thefeed groove 23 is .056 inch in width and .020 inch in depth and thefissures 24 are .008 inch in width and .020 inch in depth. The backgroove 39 is .020 inch in width and .120 inch in depth (at the centerthereof). The transverse passageways 33 are .020 inch in width and are.055 inch in depth along the sides of the feed bar. The side pockets 32are .040 inch wide and .090 inch in height. Of course, it will beunderstood that the dimensions given above are merely by way of exampleand that they may be varied.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be madein the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described hereinwithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined by thefollow ing claims.

I claim: 7

1. A feed bar for a fountain pen in which one end of the feed bar isfitted within the bore of a feed section with a heel portion of a pennib being held between the feed bar and the feed section, said feed barhaving an ink feed groove extending longitudinally along the topthereof, said feed groove communicating with an ink reservoir at saidone end of the feed bar and with a point of the pen nib at the other.end of the feed bar, which is characterized by said feed bar havingside pockets extending along each side of the feed bar intermediate itsends, a series of transverse ladder cuts in the sides of the feed barand the side walls of each of the side pockets forming capillary inkstorage chambers therein, a number of said ink storage chambers beinglocated within the feed section, portions of adjacent sides of the feedbar being spaced from each other whereby the 'ink storage chambers oneach side of the feed bar are in communication with each other throughcapillary passageways formed between the pen nib and the feed bar, saidfeed bar having transverse channels extending between the ink feedgroove and the side pockets on each side of the feed bar, and a backgroove extending along the bottom of the feed bar from the tip thereofto a point on the feed bar located within the feed section, said backgroove com municating with the pen point at the tip of the feed bar andhaving an enlarged opening thereto intermediate its ends, said enlargedopening extending from a point on the feed bar located within the feedsection to a point on the feed bar located outside of the feed sectionand forming a passageway extending between the ink storage chamberslocated within the feed section and the extension of the feed section.

2. A feed bar for a fountain pen in which one end of the feed bar isfitted within the bore of a feed section with a heel portion of a pennib beingheld between the feed bar and the feed section, said feed barhaving an ink feed groove extending longitudinally along the .topthereof, said feed groove communicating with an ink reservoir at saidone end of the feed bar and with a point of the pen nib at the other endof the feed bar, which is characterized by said feed bar having sidepockets extending along each side of the feed bar intermediate its ends,a series of transverse ladder cuts in the sides of the feed bar and theside walls of each of the side pockets forming capillary ink storagechambers therein, a number of said ink storage chambers being locatedwithin the feed section, portions of adjacent sides of the feed barbeing spaced from each other whereby the ink storage chambers on eachside of the feed bar are in communication with each other throughcapillary passage- Ways formed between the pen nib and the feed bar,said feed bar having transverse channels extending between the ink feedgroove and the ink storage chambers on each side of the feed bar formedby the ladder cuts closet to the tip of the feed bar, and a back grooveextending along the bottom of the feed bar from the tip thereof to apoint on the feed bar located within the feed section, said back groovecommunicating with the pen point at the tip of the feed bar and havingan enlarged opening thereto intermediate its ends, said enlarged openingex tending from a point on the feed bar located within the feed sectionto a point on the feed bar located outside of the feed section andforming a passageway communiv eating with the ink storage chamberslocated, within the feed section and the exterior of the feed section.

3. In a fountain pen, the combination of a feed section having a boreextending therethrough, a feed bar having an inner end fitted within thebore of the feed section and an outer end extending beyond the feedsection, said feed bar having a curved outer surface, the inner end ofsaid feed bar being connected to an ink reservoir, a pen nib having aheel portion held between the feed section and the feed bar, said pe nibhaving a greater radius of curvature than the feed bar and having aflexible point extending beyond the outer end of the feed bar,

said feed bar also having an ink feed groove communicabing with the inkreservoir and extending lengthwise along the top thereof from its innerend to a point adjacent the point of the pen nib with recesses formingside pockets extending along opposite sides of the feed bar adjacentsaid ink feed groove, a series of t ansverse ladder cuts in the sides ofthe feed bar, said ladder cuts extending through the side pockets andforming capillary ink storage chambers in the sides of the feed bar andthe side pockets, a number of said ink storage chambers being locatedwithin the feed section, said ink storage chambers being incommunication with each other through capillary passageways formedbetween the pen nib and the feed bar, transverse channels in the feedbar extending between the ink feed groove and one of the ink storagechambers formed by the ladder cuts on each side of the feed bar, and aback groove extending lengthwise of the feed bar from the outer end ofthe feed bar to a point within the feed section, said back groovecommunicating with the flexible point of the pen nib at a point belowthe end of the ink feed groove and having an enlarged opening theretoextending on both sides of the point at which the back groove enters thefeed section, said enlarged opening forming a passageway communicatingwith the ink storage chambers located within the feed section and theexterior of the feed section.

4. A fountain pen of the type having a feed section with a boreextending therethrough, a feed bar having a generally cylindrical shankfitted within the bore of the feed section and a tapered tip extendingbeyond the feed section, said feed bar having an ink feed grooveextending lengthwise along the top thereof, a pen nib having a heel heldbetween the feed section and the feed bar and a flexible point extendingbeyond the tapered tip of the feed bar, said pen nib having a greaterradius of curvature than that of the shank of the feed bar which ischaracterized by said feed bar having recesses extending along bothsides thereof adjacent the ink feed groove, a series of ladder cuts inthe side walls of said recesses and in the sides of the feed bar, saidladder cuts forming capillary ink storage chambers and extending on bothsides of the point where the feed bar enters the feed section, said feedbar having transverse channels connecting the ink feed groove with theink storage chambers on each side of the feed bar, capillary passagewaysformed between the pen nib and the feed bar connecting the ink storagechambers on the respective sides of the feed bar with each other and aback groove extending along the bottom of the feed bar to a point withinthe feed section, said back groove communicating with the flexible tipof the pen and having an enlarged opening extending on both sides of thepoint where the feed bar enters the feed section, said enlarged openingforming a passageway communicating with the ink storage chambers withinthe feed section and the exterior of the feed section.

5. A feed bar for a fountain pen in which one end of the feed bar isfitted within the bore of a feed section with a heel portion of a pennib being held between the feed bar and the feed section, said feed barhaving an ink feed groove extending longitudinally along the topthereof, said feed groove communicating with an ink reservoir at saidone end of the feed bar and with a point of the pen nib at the other ofthe feed bar, which is characterized by said feed bar having sidepockets extending along each side of the feed bar intermediate its ends,a series of transverse ladder cuts in the sides of the feed bar and theside walls of each of the side pockets, said ladder cuts formingcapillary ink storage chambers with a number of said ink storagechambers being located within the feed section, portions of adjacentsides of the feed bar being spaced from each other whereby the inkstorage chambers on each side of the feed bar are in communication witheach other through capillary passageways formed between the pen nib andthe feed bar, said feed bar having transverse channels extending betweenthe ink feed groove and the side pockets on each side of the feed bar,and a back groove communicating with the pen point at the forward end ofthe feed bar and extending along the bottom of the feed bar to a pointon the feed bar located within the feed section, said back groovenormally receiving ink only from the pen point at the forward end of thefeed bar and having an enlarged opening thereto intermediate its ends,said enlarged opening extending from a point on the feed bar locatedwithin the feed section to a point on the feed bar located outside ofthe feed section and forming an air outlet passageway communicating withthe ink storage chambers located within the feed section and theexterior of the feed section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,574,929 Pollock Mar. 2, 1926 1,750,410 Kovacs Mar. 11, 1930 2,101,304Wright Dec. 7, 1937 2,292,381 Klagges Aug. 11, 1942 2,380,763 JuelssJuly 31, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 406,609 Germany Nov. 25, 1924 215.964Switzerland Dec. 16, 1941

